Dog Show Crud Explained

Dog Show Crud is a nasty condition that's been around for a considerable amount of time. Anyone who takes a dog to a show needs to know about this problem and that the symptoms dogs display are very similar to those of Parvo although Dog Show Crud is very different and therefore needs to be treated accordingly by a vet.

The Causes

Dogs pick up the infection if they come into contact with contaminated dog faeces and urine. However, the infection can be spread on a person's shoes too. It only takes a dog to sniff at a post where another dog has urinated for them to become infected, but they can also pick up the infection by sniffing at contaminated ground, a tree or anywhere else another dog has urinated.

The medical name for the condition is Campylobacteriosis which is the name of the bacteria that causes all the damage to a dog's gut. Luckily, there is a test for this particular bacterial infection and it's also worth noting that an infected dog can pass on the infection to other animals which includes their feline counterparts.

Symptoms Associated with the Condition

The symptoms that are more commonly associated with Dog Show Crud include the following:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Bloody faeces
• Coughing
• Severe dehydration which often proves fatal if not treated as a matter of urgency

Because the condition is known to be highly contagious, any dog suspected of having contracted Dog Show Crud should be kept away from other dogs and taken to the vet sooner rather than later so they can be given much needed treatment.

Diagnosing the Condition

Diagnosing the problem often proves challenging and a lot of vets mistake the symptoms for being those of Parvo and as such they treat a dog accordingly. However, most dogs do not respond to treatments for Parvo and sadly many succumb and die. There are some people who believe there may be a strain of lepto involved which most dogs are not vaccinated against, but more research is needed to establish whether this is the case.

The majority of vets now carry out three Parvo tests on dogs with the end goal being to eliminate the fact they may be suffering from Parvo and that it is something else that's causing a dog's symptoms which in turn leads them to establish that a dog is indeed suffering from Dog Show Crud.

Treatment Options

It's essential for dogs to be diagnosed correctly and treated sooner rather than later if they are to survive. If treated successfully, the outcome tends to be good. However, a lot of the time vets find diagnosing the problem quite challenging and often a dog's symptoms are put down to be as follows:

• Non-specific diarrhoea
• Syndrome progressive diarrhoea

With this said, the problem is a bacterial one that negatively impacts a dog's gut and this in turn causes dogs to dehydrate incredibly quickly which is usually why the condition often proves fatal.

Lastly

Anyone who attends a dog show with their pet should take precautions and make sure their dogs are kept away from other dogs and where they have done their business. It’s also important to clean shoes and to wash hands thoroughly when at a dog show before handling your dog. Anyone who owns a dog and who visits a dog show without their pets should also make sure they clean their shoes and wash their hands once they return home before handling their own dog.